Humidifier



Oct. 5 1926.

L. H. ROGGE ET AI.

HUMIDIFIER Filed May a. 1925 jnuew foo Patented Get. 5, 192%.

warren stares PATENT QFE EB IOUIS H. ROGGE, OF JORDAN, AND W'INFIELD G.W001), 016 MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

HUMIDIFIER.

Application filed May 6,

. with radiators associated with hot water or steam heating systems.

Itis a general object of the present invention to provide a novel andimproved form of humidifier.

More particularly it is an object of this invention to provide ahumidifier having a large water reservoir so arranged as to maintain aconstant level of water in the evaporating pan.

Another ob ect of the present invention consists in the provision of ahumidifier of the type described, in which heated air rising from theradiator coils is directed beneath and over the top of an evaporatingpan in order, first, that the water therein be heated and, second, thatthe dry air be brought in contact with its upper surface to absorb thevapors arising therefrom and carry them into the room.

A further object of the present invention consists in the provision-in ahumidifier of a removable reservoir provided with means to maintain aconstant level. of water within the evaporating pan and having a surface which forms a battle to cause the heated air rising from theradiator coils to pass 1 entirely across the surface of the watercontained in the evaporating pan.

In the accompanying drawings and fol lowing specification there isdisclosed a single illustrative embodiment of the present invention withthe understanding, however, that various changes or modifications may bemade therein by those skilled in the art, in the size, shape,arrangement and proportion of the various parts without departing fromthe spirit or scope of the present invention as set forth in theappended claims,

In said drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation showing a humidifier,constructed according to the present invention, in position on aradiator, and,

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

The advantages attendant upon the use of humidifiers in dwellings andpublic buildings heated by steam, hot water or similar heating systemsare too well known to be discussed here. There are, however, a number ofdisadvantages to the present types of humidifiers and the inconveniencesarising from their use have resulted in a large measure in preventingtheir popularity. The

1925. Serial No, 28,482.

present invention has for its object, therefore, to provide a simplifiedand improved type r of humidifier which overcomes the presentdisadvantages and provides additional convenience in that it need not befilled so often, and when such filling becomes necessary, is morereadily done without the danger of spilling water upon the floor orwall-paper.

In the drawings, 10 indicates a conventional formof radiator such as isused in connection with hot water, steam and similar heating systems,and comprises the so-called vertical coils 11 connected together at thetop by the abutting bosses12 cast integral with the coil sections andpressed over tapered thimbles, not shown The heating medium flowing thruthese coils causes them to assume a high temperature, and thesurrounding air is heated and caused to ascend in the vicinity of thesecoils. air, which is normally in a dry condition, can be properlyhumidified, there is provided the evaporating pan 13, adapted to containwater to be evaporated by this heat ed air passing under and over it.The evaporating pan 13 may be conveniently supported closely adjacentthe tops of the coils 11 by having its front edge and ends securedwithin the hollow box-like casing 14, which is rectangular in plan andis supported from the radiator by having its end members 15 and 16 cutaway as shown at 17 in Fig. 2 to fit over the bosses 12 and betweenpairs of adjacent coils. The front and rear plates 18 and 19 of thiscasing are spaced apart only a sufiicient distance to have an easy fitover the coils of the radiator and thus prevent any possible rotation ofthe casing about the axis of the bosses 12', and thus serve to retainthe casing firmly in position on a radiator. It will be apparent thatthe length and width of the device may be varied within wide limits tosuit different forms and sizes of radiators.

The bottom of the evaporating pan 13, as previously mentioned, issecured to the front and end plates of the casing 14: in a water tightmanner and a rear wall 20 is provided on the evaporating pan spaced Inorder that this rating pan and are provided ust below their top edgeswith the inwardly extending flanges 22 which are adapted to support theWater reservoir 23. This reservoir may be made of any convenient shapebut preferably has a base, rectangular in plan, to fit loosely Withinthe walls of the casing 14-. and rest: upon the flanges 22 and besupported thereby. As shown in the drawings, the front and rear walls 24and 25 of this reservoir are vertical for a short distance and are theninclined toward each other and connected tog-ether by the flat topportion 26. The ends may be vertical or inclined as desired, since theparticular shape of this reservoir is of no importance as long as itsbottom 27 serves to close the top of the casing 14.

The reservoir 23 is formed of sheet metal and must be air and watertight, and is provided in its bottom 27 with the screw threaded aperture28 adapted to receive the filler cap 29, which is removable for thepurpose of filling the reservoir. This cap 29 is hollow and is providedwith the depcnding tube 30, which is open at its lower end and forms theonly means of egress from the reservoir 23.

The tube 30 is of such a. length and the. reservoir 23 is supported atsuch a distance above the evaporating pan 13 that water flows from thereservoir and fills the pan to a suitable level at which time it closesthe entrance to the tube 30, prevents the entrance of air into thereservoir and thus stops the flow of Water from it, according toWell-known principles. hen. however, a sufiicient quantity of water hasbeen evaporated from the pan 13, the mouth of the tube 30 is uncoveredand water fiows front slot or aperture 81 just above the maximumv levelof the water in the evaporating pan to allow the air which has passedover the surface of the water to escape into the room. i "T Thedirection of movement of the heated air is indicated by the arrows inFig. 2 and it will be noted that it flows directly upward along thesurfaces of and around the coils 11 and against the bottom of theevapcrating pan. This directs it into the passageway 21 at the rear ofthe pan, through which it passes upwardly and then forwardly under thereservoir entirely across the surface of the water within theevaporating pan, and the air finally passes out thru the slot or opening81 in the front plate of the casing. The air thus first passes beneathand heats the water in the evaporating pan and then passes over theWater to evaporate it and absorb the vapor arising from it, and finallypasses into the room and is directed toward the center thereof and awayfrom the walls, so that there is no danger of damaging the wall paper orof having the heated, moist air cooled by contact with the colder outerWalls of the house or building.

it has long been recognized that the most satisfactory operation of adevice of this character can be obtained by having alarge surface ofwater exposed to the air and arranged in a shallow pan in order that itcan readily be heated and evaporated. This resulted in the constantnecessity of filling, which has been overcome in the present inventionby the provision of the large reservoir and the means for maintainin aconstant level of water in the evaporating pan. The reservoir, being ofa large capacity, need only be filled occasionally and, when this mustbe done, the reservoir can be lifted from the casing, inverted, the cap29 removed and water poured in, in a convenient manner, after which thereservoir can be turned back to its original position and replaced onthe flanges 22. It will be observed that the top of the reservoir can bemade in any shape and serves the purpose of providing an ornamentalcover for the radiator, such as is often done to hide its notparticularly decorative features.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a humidifier, in combination, an open top casing adapted to besupported from a radiator, an evaporating pan therein, a water reservoirclosing the open top of said casing and supported above said pan andmeans to supply water from said reservoir to said pan, said pan beingpositioned to direct the rising heated air between said pan and saidreservoir, said casing having an outlet for said heated air beneath saidreservoir.

2. The combination with a heating radiator, of a humidifier supportedthereon and including a casing, rectangular in plan and open at the topand the bottom, an evaporating pan abutting three sides of said casing,Water reservoir closing the top of said casing and spaced above saidpan, said casing having a slot between said pan and reservoir oppositethe side of said pan which does not abut the casing and means to supplywater from the reservoir to the pan.

3. The combination with a heating radiator, of a humidifier supportedthereon and including a casing rectangular in plan and open at the topand the bottom, an evaporating pan secured to three sides thereof andspaced from the fourth side, and a closed water reservoir removablysupported on and closing the top of said casing and spaced above saidpan, said reservoir having a filler cap in the bottom and a tubeprojecting thri said cap and into said pan to provide a con stant levelof water in said pan, said casing having an outlet for said heated airbe neath said reservoir.

4. The combination with a heating radiator having vertical coilsprovided with abutting bosses, of a humidifier including a casingrectangular in plan and open at the top and the bottom, said casinghaving end walls cut away to fit over said bosses and between the coilsof said radiator and side walls covering the upper portions of said 15coils, a plate forming with the end walls and one of s id side walls anevaporating pan spaced from the other side wall, a removable closedwater reservoir having a base thereon supported by and closing the topor" said casing and spaced above said pan, said casing having a slot inthe side which forms part or" the pan above the water level in saidevaporating pan, for the egress of air, and means on said reservoir tomaintain a constant level of water in said pan.

In testimony whereof we hereunto our signatures.

LOUIS H. ROGGE WINFIELD C. WOOD.

